William p



(Model.)

W. P. RUSSELL.

BUSTLE.

No. 336,870. Patented Feb.'23, 1886.

UNITED 'STATES ,PATENT FFICE.

\VILLIAM F. RUSSELL, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

BUSTLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 336,870, dated February 23, 1886.

Application filed September 3, 1885. Serial No. 176,059. (Model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. RUSSELL, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Adjustable Bustles and BustleSkirts; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making a part of this specification.

Heretofore bustles have been provided with a central band or strap extending from the middle of the upper edge to the middle of the lower edge thereof, this band being provided with a buckle or other device,by which it may be shortened or lengthened. Bustles have also been constructed with diagonal internal i bands or straps extending from the lower edges to the middle of the upper edge; but in either case these bands or straps have not only been comparatively clumsy and unsightly, but have operated in each case merely to stay and brace the bustle either from the sides or center of the lower edge alone.

The object of my invention is to afford by a neat device not only a complete stay and brace for the bustle both at its sides and center, but also to facilitate its ready adjustment both as to size and form either by an equal contraction or expansion of its entire contour or by a contraction of its sides or of its central lower edge; and it consists in a system of lacing-cords, which, extending from the center ofthelower outer edge to the inner upper edge of the structure, are led thence through eyelets toits lateral lower edges, in manner as hereinafter described, lwhereby the central and side laces co-operate in staying the bustle and in produeing a contraction either of the sides and center or of the sides or center of its lower edge, or in permitting a counterpart expansion thereof.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a sectional side view of my improved bustle, and Fig. 2 a bottom view thereof.

A represents the band, and B B B the curved steels or wires, which are all brought together at each end and fastened in the customary manner to the band. by stay-pieces G C, and, being opened and spread apart intermediately, are confined in their proper relative positions to form a bustle of the desired general form l by means of the transverse elastic ribsDD D?. The construction of my improved bustle in bustles in general use, and, inffact, my invention is applicable Vto all forms of bustles or skirt-bustles of this general shape.

E represents the lacing-cord,whose application to the bustle constitutes my invention.

F F are eyelet-holes or metallic eyelets, which are formed or inserted one upon each side of the central rib, D, of the bustle in a strip attached centrally to the steel or wire B, forming its lower edge,or in the band covering said rib near to its juncture or attachment to the lower edge.

F F are eyelet-holes or eyelets formed or inserted close together in the center of the waistband A.

F2 F2 and F3 F are eyelet-holes or eyelets formed or inserted, respectively, one on each side of the upper end of each of the two lateral ribs D and DL of the bustle; and F4 F4 are single eyelet-holes or eyelets formed or inserted at the side of the lower end of each of said lateral ribs. The eyelets F2, F3, and F4 are inserted in strips of cloth made fast to the bustle for the purpose, or in the bands cover ing the side ribs.

r[he lacing-cord E is led through one of the central eyelets, F, in the lower edge of the bustle up to and through one of the eyelets F in the center of its band A, thence diagonally to the single eyelet F4 at the lower side of one ofthe lateral ribs D', thence diagonally back to and through the two eyelets F2 F2 at the ripper end of the opposite side rib, D, thence across to and through the two corresponding eyelets F3 F3 at the upper end of the first lateral rib, D', thence diagonally to and through the single eyelet F4 at the lower end of the lateral rib D2, thence back to the remaining eyelet, F, at the center of the lower edge of the bustle, so that the two ends of the cord are nally left depending from the eyelets F F.

In use,when the cord E is loosened,the bustle is free to expand to its full size and normal shape. By drawing up the two ends of the cord the lower edge of the bustle may be drawn inward and the size of the bustle reduced; or when the cord is thus tightly drawn the sides ofthe bustle may be drawn inward to reduce l its width laterally and cause it to project back these particulars does not differ from that of IOO to its full extent; or it may be drawn in both4 at the center and at sides to reduce its spread in both directions. Thus by simply tightening up or loosening the cord E the shape andv dimensions of the bustle may be changed at pleasure and varied as required. When the ends of the cord are made fast, the length thereof extending from the center of the lower wire to the center of the band, in connection with the lateral diagonal lengths, forms an elastic support for the bustle against the skirts of the wearer.

The cord E may be applied to abustlefskirt in the like manner as a bustle, and I cont-elnpla'te its use therewith.

I claim as my invention- The combination, with the band and wires cfa bustle, ofa cord whose two ends are respectively carried from eyelets at the upper ends of the two lateral ribs of the bustle, each diagonally across to the lower end of the op posite lateral rib and through an eyelet near the end thereof, thence back to and through eyelet-s in the center of the band, and thence to and through eyelets at the center of the lower edge or wire of the bustle, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth` In testimony whereof Ihave signed my name to this specification in the presence of two sub- 3Q scribing witnesses.

XVM. F. RUSSELL. l 

